• The Hobbit could be back on Broadway soon. Mats Zuccarello may rejoin the Rangers after his KHL season is over. He extended it himself yesterday, scoring the game-winning goal for Metallurg Magnitogorsk with four-seconds left on the clock in Game 4 of its playoff series against Salavat Yulaev Ufa.

• The New Jersey Devils have placed Martin Brodeur on IR, proving that he is human after all. Keith Kinkaid has been recalled, highlighting just how diligent this team should be about exploring the market for a young goalie with real NHL potential.

• Instead, the Devils are said to be shopping for a top-six forward, with seldom-used defender Henrik Tallinder as the bait. Can just imagine the crowd trying to beat down Lou Lamoriello's door to make that one happen.

• The reaction in Dallas to yesterday's Cole/Ryder trade? "There’s a chance the Stars push all the right buttons with Cole, and he is spectacular. There’s a chance he can’t find a fit in Dallas and he flops and you have a $4 million player you can’t move."

• The Islanders were expecting to beat the Bruins last night, but the loss leaves them with a 2-8-0 mark at home, the worst record in the league. With five games left on their seven-game home stand, the Isles need to find a way to come out of these contests with something more than satisfaction with their compete level.